Common Placement Testing

Students who intend to enter degree or college-credit certificate programs shall be tested prior to the completion of registration with the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.), which consists of tests covering reading, English and mathematics, including elementary algebra. Minimum cut scores have been established by Florida Administrative Code 6A-10.0315 and can be found in the Student Testing and Placement Chart. Students falling below these minimum scores will be advised of their developmental education options. Some Florida high school and active military students may be exempt from this testing requirement.

Students who require developmental education may not enroll in the following categories of college-credit courses while completing their developmental education coursework:

• Students who are deficient in mathematics may not enroll in any mathematics courses or other courses that require mathematics skills that are beyond the skill level of the student
• Students who are deficient in English and/or reading skills may not enroll in English courses or other courses that require communication skills that are beyond the skill level of the student
• Students who are deficient in all three areas may enroll in college-level courses such as orientation courses, college-success courses or other courses that are not dependent on college-level computation and communication skills

Degree-seeking students enrolling full time who do not achieve satisfactory test scores on the P.E.R.T. must enroll in the required developmental education courses needed during each term until all required courses are satisfactorily completed.

Degree-seeking students enrolling part time who do not achieve satisfactory test scores on the P.E.R.T. should complete all required developmental education courses by the time they complete 12 semester hours of college-credit courses.

The College will accept P.E.R.T., ACCUPLACER, SAT, and ACT Reading scores, provided that they are no more than two years old from the date taken, and will place students accordingly. Test accommodations may be made available to students who qualify under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1974. Students should contact a PHSC academic advisor in the Student Affairs office or Career and Testing Services for more information about placement testing. Exceptions to placement testing are: degreed students, transfer students with "C" or higher grades on both college-level English and mathematics courses, transient students (unless they are taking a Gordon Rule course at PHSC and have not tested previously), students who are Encore Academy members, nondegree seeking students, and students who audit college-credit courses.